Official University spokesperson Professor Vinod Pavarala said that the student had been asked by the Proctorial Board to depose before the Board on January 17.

In a statement, the spokesperson said, “We have zero tolerance for physical or verbal abuse of faculty members or administrative staff in the course of discharging their duties. We fully expect all interactions among various sections of the university community to be conducted with mutual respect, dignity, and decorum. Redressal of any genuine grievances must be sought only through appropriate institutional channels provided for the purpose.”

The statement also said that the complaint was received at the end of the last semester, right before the winter break, which is why the board took up the matter immediately after reopening in early January.

Economics professor K Laxminarayana, in his test paper ‘Economics of Education’ for third semester students, asked: “What is the fundamental objective of a Public University? What are the new objectives being thrusted on the Public University because of Privatization and Saffronisation of education?”

Taking objection to the question, Palsaniya abused the professor on the University’s Facebook page saying, “Bastard Laxminarayana now preaching what is saffronisation. He even don’t know basics of Economics and now preaching about Saffronisation. He has became professor only because of his blackmailing tricks.” (sic)

Subsequently, the professor filed a complaint with the University’s Vice-Chancellor.

Laxminarayana is the former president of the University of Hyderabad Teachers’ Association and it was he who spearheaded the Rohith Vemula protest on behalf of the SC/ST Teachers’ Association.